I believe I only once went to the old Piccadilly cinema. I think it was either in my first or second year of university (I am now in my eighth, by the way). Walking along Piccadilly you might not notice the cinema was there. You enter via an inocuous doorway, pay your fee, and are directed downstairs. The auditorium was narrow and, as I remember, sloped up towards the screen. I had the feeling of being underneath the road, but am not sure if this was true. We saw a foreign film, as was typical of what it showed, from Hong Kong. Not long afterwards the cinema closed. Why? And how? And what has replaced it?
ABC was bought by Odeon. Sadly, they did not see the need for another cinema, especially one so small, and that had the reputation of being pornographic (as it was in the 70s). They maintained it for a brief while before selling. It served for a while as a ticket booth for half-price West End shows. Now, however, it has been converted into 'The Pigalle Club' (picture opposite). The name and the colours are horrid.
On another sad note of closure for the movie-loving public, the great video store outside Clapham Junction has been replaced by an opticians. This video store has served me without blemish for over 6 years. It always had the movie I wanted - the range was quite incredible. The foreign films and classics they had were exceptional - the first place I ever saw a Woody Allen section. Now all that remains is Blockbuster, over-priced, over-stocked of the wrong films, and generally soul-sucking.
